Redknapp Jr: Spurs no match for Arsenal - yet

Former Tottenham star Jamie Redknapp says the club still has some way to go to match the culture of Arsenal.

Former Tottenham star Jamie Redknapp says the club still has some way to go to match the culture of Arsenal.

Redknapp, whose Dad Harry has transformed Spurs in the last 12 months, says his old club still has a long way to go.

He told the Daily Mail: "No. Not yet. There is still some way to go! We are talking about two totally different cultures. Spurs have had to shortcut to the position they are in, buying in players such as Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Luka Modric and Wilson Palacios. Arsenal buy, too, but they have been allowed to grow their success from within. When my Dad went into Spurs, he needed power and strength quickly, which is why he signed Palacios. Dad loves to develop a young player and to nurture him, but the last home-grown player at Tottenham to force his way in regularly was Ledley King. That’s a damning statistic.

"When Dad was at West Ham, Tony Carr would say to him: ‘I’ve got one for you, Harry.’ There was Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Frank Lampard. That relationship with your youth coaches is based on trust — and time. Arsene Wenger has been allowed to develop players.

"You need people around you who can share the vision. I watched the Spurs youth team last week and they are moving in the right direction. Arsenal, who have consistently given their young players an opportunity, or Tottenham? It’s something they are working on. Arsenal are the blueprint for any club. I watched their young players against Liverpool and I didn’t want the game to end. They play without fear. That comes from the manager."